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Revision as of 06:15, 4 March 2009 by Ohconfucius (talk | contribs) (reworked, added citation and ref)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Not to be confused with William Henry Johnson.
| William Henry Johnston | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Buried | Perth Cemetery, Zillibeke |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1899 - 1915 † |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Royal Engineers |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
William Henry Johnston VC (21 December 1879 – 8 June 1915) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
He was 34 years old, on 14 September 1914 during the Race to the Sea at Missy, France, in the First World War, he performed an act of bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Biography
Born 21 December 1879 in Leith, Edinburgh to Maj. William Johnston and Mary Johnston. Johnston was a captain in the 59th Field Company, Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army.
Citation
At Missy, on 14th Sept., under a heavy fire all day until 7 p.m., worked with his own hand two rafts bringing back wounded and returning with ammunition; thus enabling advanced Brigade to maintain its position across the river.
— The London Gazette, No. 28985, 25 November 1914
Death
He later achieved the rank of major. He was killed in action, Ypres, Belgium, on 8 June 1915.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum (Chatham, England).
References
- ^ Johnston, William Henry, Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
- VCs of the First World War - 1914 (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)